DARREN CLARKE had made what he yesterday called the hardest decision of his career and ended his five year association with Scottish coach Bob Torrance. The relationship wasn't working for me and I have been marking time," said the 27 year old from Portrush. "It is time to move on.

Clarke will only be briefly "unattached" for the Spanish Open starting in Madrid today as he will be putting his future in the hands of Yorkshireman Bill Ferguson, who guides Colin Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam, as soon as he returns to Britain for the International Open next week.

This decision is not surprising for although Clarke has earned over £1 million in prize money while being tutored by Torrance, he has only one victory to his credit the Belgian Open three years ago.

In 1993 he was eighth in the order of merit behind Montgomerie, but then fell to 37th the following season and was 14th last year when he failed to gain the Ryder Cup place both he and his supporters anticipated. This year he has not managed a top ten place in seven European outings, and has only twice been in the top 20.

"I told Bob last week that I wanted to make the break and it was the hardest thing I have had to do," Clarke said at the Club de Campo yesterday. "When you are five years with someone it is very difficult to move on, but I had to make a change. Not much has happened for me recently."

Ferguson's success with Montgomerie, whom he coached as an amateur to reach Walker Cup status, is reflected in the Scot's standing as European number one for the last three years, and overwhelming favouritism for this week's title which he won on this course in 1994.

Woosnam's wins in the opening two events of 1996 in Singapore and Perth, to head the Volvo rankings, were also due in no small measure to the help of the stocky likely professional Ferguson now accompanies Montgomerie to all the major championships and most important tournaments in much the same way that David Leadbetter is always on hand to fine tune" Nick Faldo.

Now Clarke hopes that he can also benefit from the Ferguson formula. Maybe a few fresh ideas will make all the difference," he said. A five under par 67 in yesterday's pro-am warm up on a course playing its full length after recent heavy rain in the Spanish capital should also work in Clarke's favour. But Montgomerie will take some beating judging by the form he displayed in winning his opening European event in Dubai in March, and subsequently in the US where he was runner up to Fred Couples in, the Players' Championship.

After shedding two stones during a winter fitness drive, the Scot has lost another seven pounds. "The tour media guide showing me as 15 stone is now correct," he joked.

Montgomerie has arrived direct from Thailand where he was seventh behind Steve Elkington his USPGA conqueror last year, on the Honda City Classic in Phuket. He begins a run of tournaments in 11 weeks that includes the US Open. The one cloud on his horizon is an increasing tendency to push his, putts.

"My putting has let me down a few times," he said. "I am hitting the ball closer than ever with my irons but my strike rate is only two or three out of ten from the to 15 foot range. To win consistently I have to do better than that.

Defending champion Seve Ballesteros would be delighted if that was his only problem. The Spaniard had finished two of the seven events he has entered. being last in Dubai and next to last in the Masters. In Valencia two weeks ago he played only 36 holes and departed with an inflamed left wrist, which he now has to put in an immobilising cast each night.

"There was fluid around the tendon and I had to have three injections," he said. "It will not be right for another three weeks but if I don't go in the rough and I don't practice too much I will be all right for the Benson and Hedges and the Volvo PGA."

Padraig Harrington, who is now third best Tour School graduate after last week's re rank plays his sixth week in succession in the hope of another top 10 place that would get him into the Benson and Hedges event. He starts in Madrid as 10th reserve for that event but, whatever his fortunes this week, he will not be, a starter in the PGA at Wentworth.

"I need a rest," he said "although I reckon I will need another £10,000 prize money to be sure of my card for 1996." A fourth successive top 10 place from a prize fund of £550,000 would take him to his goal. Des Smyth, fresh from his fifth Irish PGA title, is back in the city where he scored his last Tour victory at nearby Club de Hierro.

"Madrid has been good to me over the years," he said. "I played: well last week on a 7,000 yards course and every win helps build confidence. But I have no illusions. I am back on the Tour and that is a very different matter."

Eamonn Darcy is also in the line up and will be wielding a new wedge after a chipping performance at Slieve Russell he described as "worse than bad if I had chipped badly I would have, given Des a run for his money"

He is hoping to take delivery of a new Ping three wood this week, which will bring his complement of that manufacturer's clubs to the prescribed 11, and allow him to resurrect another favourite old wedge from his stock in the attic.

Killarney's Eoghan O'Connell has been invited to play his first Tour event of the year, and John McHenry, Francis Howley, David Higgins and Jimmy Heggarty are also in the Irish contingent. The top prize is £91,330.